The Legend of Oculos: Twilight of the Death Dragon
by Warrior of Spectra
Summary: With the death of his mortality at the claws of the Purple Dragon, Spyro, Oculos is left adrift in a seemingly unending abyss. As the death dragon reflects on his past and how he became the infamous Death Dragon, little does he realize that his soul is changing...and that soon he will ascend beyond mortality...and that his future is forever changed.
1. Prologue: Reflections

**Prologue: Reflections**

**A/N: This fic is a collaboration between Native Avenger and Warrior of Spectra. The Legend of Oculos: Twilight of the Death Dragon is a prequel to a previous fic Native Avenger and I wrote, The Legend of Spyro: The Forsworn. **

**This fic focuses on the "Death Dragon" Oculos, the loyal second in command and loving mate of Persephone, the Dragon-Goddess of the Underworld. **

**This fic takes place immediately after Oculos' defeat near the end of The Legend of Spyro: The Forsworn and focuses on Oculos' history, starting from when he was a Dragonling, and how he rose through The Forsworn ranks to become Persephone's second in command. Most importantly this fic goes in depth on Oculos and Persephone's relationship.  
**

**With out further ado, on with the story!  
**

**...**

_Mortality is a frail force, Oculos was first taught that when Persephone took him under her wing, when a mortal is wounded, the cradle their wounded limb like a mother protecting her newborn. Mortal life was so much like glass. Even the slightest trimmer can destroy mortal life in one single small trimmer. _

_Even with his power over the luck of mortality, Oculos had always known he was mortal, that he could be killed like any other person in the world._

_But the thought of death did not frighten him._

_No…the thought of the most painful death possible did not make the Dragon cower in fear like most mortals. Even now he did not fear death…but what he feared was something more…personal._

_Persephone…his wife…the two had only been mated for a day, but even then it brought joy to Oculos. He fulfilled his mission, and his wife's safety was secured…_

_That was until the Purple Dragon, Spyro, and his allies defeated The God of Death while the god inhabited Oculos' body…and with his defeat, Oculos could only think the worse of what The God of Death would do to Persephone. The memory of Persephone whimpering in pain as the God of Death tortured her filled Oculos mind. _

_As Oculos had fallen to his death after the God of Death's presence left his body, Persephone saved him from the fall from Warfang's highest tower and she had taken him to a distant forest. In his last moments in the physical world, Persephone made him drink a drop of her blood…and she kissed him softly as his eyes closed. _

_And then he passed on…_

_Or so he would have thought…_

_The void was nothing, not even black…it wasn't describable to the mortal eye. All Oculos knew was that he was neither in the Afterlife nor the mortal realms…was he in between? Was he really dead but his soul was trapped in a netherworld?_

_Oculos' eyes opened, at least he thought they were open, his unnatural yellow eyes with his crimson pupils scanning the void around him. _

_A deep and sad sigh escaped his mouth as his body continued to drift, again the familiar soft chill filled his heart as it beat again. _

_What was happening to him? Oculos had wondered countless times. What was to become of him? But most importantly: What would happen to Persephone now that he failed his mission to be the God of Death's Avatar? _

_Despite all of the questions that filled his mind…he regretted none of his actions. His life had purpose, he served Persephone faithfully, and died for what he believed in and died to protect the love of his life._

_Even now, drifting in this void, he regretted nothing._

_Now…all he could do...was think…think of the distant past…before he became Persephone's second in command…back when he was just a lowly soldier raising through the ranks of The Forsworn…and being tried for a crime that he never, would never, commit._

…..

**_Twenty Years ago: Lumimyrsky_**

He was only seventeen then. Yet he had achieved so much in his teenage years. To the outside world, he was the General of Lumimyrsky's military and King Adla most trusted advisor. But to those who truly knew the young grey dragon, Oculos was a loyal follower of Persephone, the immortal leader of the infamous Forsworn.

A secret army who brought terror to the world with just it's name. With agents of The Forsworn reaching out across the world, hiding in the shadows and manipulating the politics of mighty kingdoms, The Forsworn was truly a force to be feared.

In Oculos' case, the grey dragon was one of the few to gain the favor of Persephone, the Dragon-Goddess of the Underworld and was one of the few who Persephone trusted with her entire immortal being.

But none of that seemed to matter now…not in his position…

The grey dragon was blind folded, his unnatural yellow eyes unable to see his surroundings. But he was not intimidated.

As his paws and talons clicked on the stone floor, causing echoing sounds, he occasionally felt the sharp blade of a sword gently touch in between his shoulders.

"Move faster," Oculos' 'escort', a bipedal snow wolf like the Cheetahs of Avalar, growled at the dragon. "We don't want to keep The Court busy."

Oculos made no comment to his escort, and merely replied by stepping faster.

About two minutes later, the seventeen year old Dragon and his escort reached their destination. The sound of a wooden door could be heard creaking open. Oculos was pushed forward into the room. Oculos felt his paws touch a carpet as he stepped into the room, the feeling of warmth brushed against his scales as he entered the room.

The sound of whispers touched Oculos' ears when he entered the room. He could just barely make out a few of the whispers. Most of the whispers had been from allies he had known.

"I can't believe he would do such a thing…"

"Serves him right…"

"No one could be that loyal to Persephone without wanting something in return…"

Oculos ignored the whispers.

Oculos was soon lead to a stop when he felt a scaly paw touch his chest…soon the feeling of cold iron chains touched his neck as a cuff clamped down on his neck firmly. Soon his forelegs were restrained along with his wings and tail. The sound of a locking mechanism could be heard.

The whispers died down when the sound of a familiar clicking of talons tapping across the stone floor filled the room…and the aura of the mighty Dragon-Goddess of The Underworld filled the room…gracing Oculos' presence as he humbly bowed his head.

The clicking of the talons stopped as a gust of wind filled the room.

Seconds of silence filled the room…until the familiar winter cold voice spoke in a soft, yet commanding, tone.

"Take off the blindfold…" Persephone voice filled the room.

"But milady…" The wolf guard asked, worriedly. "He will…"

"He won't." Persephone interrupted coolly. "Remove the blind fold, **now." **

"Yyyeesss…Milady…" The Wolf guard hesitated as he fumbled with Oculos' blind fold after hearing the Forsworn leader's cold words.

Light graced Oculos' eyes as the cloth blindfold was removed. At first the light was disorientating, but his unnatural eyes adjusted…When his eyes adjusted, he realized that he was standing in the middle of the sentencing chamber of one of The Forsworn safe houses within Lumimyrsky…behind him were several high ranking Forsworn agents, sitting in chairs…waiting eagerly for the trial of Persephone's youngest high ranking follower.

But his eyes did not focus on those behind him…but the one who was sitting high above him on a stone throne.

Sitting on the stone carved throne several feet in the air…was Persephone herself.

Her ebony black scales were as dark as night, emerald green and crimson markings blazed parts of her scales. A jagged scythe blade took the form of The Dragon-Goddess' tail blade. She had three sets of horns, Cynder, the Terror of the Skies, almost resembled her…except the Dragoness' features were more mature…and cold.

Persephone looked down at Oculos with her piercing crimson irises that spread terror to all races in the Dragon Realms, even her own followers. But to Oculos…only he was not terrified by her eye…to him…the eyes were beautiful.

Oculos bowed his head humbly…diverting his eyes from his leader.

He heard someone pace in front of him.

"Milady," The familiar tone of the ice Dragoness Cecilia, Persephone's second in command, filled the room. "Out almighty leader…I requested your presence here today because of a plot…this…" The ice dragoness paused.

Oculos looked up at the ice dragoness.

Cecilia was a rather attractive dragoness. Her dragoness form was slender, something most male dragons found attractive in a Dragoness. Her scales were a light blue with white markings. A long scar ran across the left corner of her mouth, a war scar that she had received when she still served The Empire of Warfang in it's war against the Ape king, Gaul's, forces.

Cecilia had paused, her face trying to restrain her visible shock.

"This dragon…" Cecilia continued, regaining her composure. "Attempted to overthrow _you_…you…the Dragon-Goddess of The Underworld."

There were whispers in the room…some were shocked at the accusation towards Oculos…

Oculos kept his eyes diverted from Persephone's; he felt her gaze fall upon him. She shifted her weight to one side and rested the side of her head on her left fist.

"Proceed Cecilia…" Persephone began.

And so the trial had begun…and little did the young Oculos know, that his future would be forever changed…

But all he could do now…was think back to that night…the night it all began all those years ago back in the Tall Plains city of Tasangot…


	2. Chapter 1: Tortured soul

**The Legend of Oculos: Twilight of the Death Dragon**

**Part 1: The Apprentice **

**Chapter 1: A tormented soul**

**A/N: The story of Oculos will be divided into three parts in this story. Each part spans important parts of his life, eventually leading up to his "Trial". Inbetween these parts will be a chapter focusing on Oculos' present state. This chapter takes place when Oculos is five years old, before he knew of his powers and his loving and supportive parents were still alive.**

**...**

**Tasangot: Major trading city located in The Tall Plains. **

It was a warm day in the city of Tasangot, Tall Plains; various citizens were leaving their apartments to go to their jobs. In one of the apartments of the ancient city, a very young Oculos was still sleeping in his bed. The young gray dragonling was snoring softly as the morning sun shone through his window and over his closed eyelids.

The young dragon groaned softly as he slowly opened his yellow and red eyes, only to quickly close them again because of the light shining in his eyes. He slowly moved his head away from the light and opened his eyes again, this time able to keep them open. When his eyes were fully open, he could see that he was in a very familiar environment, his room.

Slowly, Oculos got out of his bed covers and commented to stretch his legs with his back arched. When he heard the satisfying sound of his bones popping into place, he hopped off of his bed and walked over to the door on the other side of the room. The door was slightly ajar and with a simple push of his paw, the door fully opened.

The young gray dragon walked out into the hall and casually made his way down the nearby stairs. He soon found himself in the kitchen and he could see his parents. His mother, who was a wind dragoness with white scales, was cooking breakfast at the woodstove. His father, a black scaled shadow dragon, was sitting at the table and speaking to his mate. The strong shadow dragon noticed Oculos as soon as he entered however and smiled.

"Hello, son. Did you have a good night's sleep?" his father greeted kindly.

"Hi dad, hi mom. Yeah, I did." the young Oculos answered with a smile of his own and he watched as his mother walked over to them with the cooked food.

"That's good to hear, honey." the wind dragoness spoke sweetly as she rested their plates on the table and sat down.

Oculos' parents began to speak to one another about their plans for the day. His mother stated how she wished to tend to their garden while his father explained how he'd go to the local general store, which was where he went for work. While they talked however, Oculos stayed mostly quiet. This is how most of most of their mornings went.

Once they were all finished eating breakfast, his mother stood up and took their plates to the sink, where she proceeded to clean them. The shadow dragon also got up and was about to head to the door. Before he left however, his son started speaking.

"Mom, dad… is it alright if I stay home to play today?" the young gray dragon asked quietly, as if he was hesitant to ask the question.

Both of his parents quickly looked over at him with frowns. They glanced at one another before the looked back at their only child.

"Son, I know you're worried about those bullies, but you can't make any friends if you stay cooped up in this house all the time…" his father started with a sigh at the beginning.

"But everyone makes fun of me. They say I have demon eyes and that I'm stupid for not knowing what element I am. Some kids even threaten to beat me up." Oculos whined and his lower lip quivered slightly.

"No one's gonna beat you up, son. If they do, then I'll go speak to their parents and straighten everything out." the shadow dragon assured softly and his mate nodded in agreement.

Oculos wanted to argue that this wouldn't want to stop them, but he didn't want to argue with his parents. That was the last thing he wanted to do. He just sighed quietly and walked towards the door with his head lowered.

"Just come home if the other kids start to be mean to you again!" his mother called out before he left.

…

At the local playground in Tasangot, Oculos was walking around and looking about. He chose to stay away from all the other children, who were playing on the various swings, slides, and jungle gyms. Whenever he went out to play, he would simply stay at the sidelines and stay away from everyone else.

The young gray dragon walked over to a nearby bench and hopped onto the seat. As he sat down and got comfortable, a group of slightly older kids walked over to him. In the group, there was an Atlawa, a fire dragon, an earth dragon, and a poison dragon.

"Hey, demon-eyes! We wanna talk to you!" the fire dragon called out with a chuckle as the kids walked right in front of Oculos.

'Oh no…' Oculos thought to himself as his head drooped. "What do you want?" he asked quietly, obviously not liking their presence.

"My father told me that demons like you are evil and don't deserve to live. I just thought you'd want to know that." the fire dragon explained with a smirk and the others in the group chuckled.

"Yeah, why don't you do everyone a favor and just kill yourself?" the earth dragon asked with an amused smile.

"Leave me alone…" the young gray dragon said softly as he looked away from the older group.

"Wow, did you just tell US what to do, demon?" the Atlawa asked harshly as he balled his hands into fists.

Before Oculos could even blink, the fire and poison dragons rushed forward and roughly pinned his forelegs and wings to the bench's backrest. His yellow and red eyes widened in fear as he tried to struggle away and the older kids just chuckled at him.

"Hey! Let me… go!" he yelled as he struggled, but they refused to release him.

"She the fuck up, you evil demon." the Atlawan child spat before he roughly punched the helpless gray dragon in the gut.

Oculos grunted loudly and gasped as the air was knocked out of him. Before he could even recover his breath, the Atlawa punched his exposed belly again, leaving behind a noticeable bruise.

"Let me hit him next!" the earth dragon spoke excitedly.

The Atlawa just nodded with a smile and punched Oculos in the stomach once more before stepping aside. The earth dragon then spun around and smashed his tail into the defensless child's face, causing him to cry out in pain. The children laughed as they looked at his bruised body and the earth dragon and Atlawa took turns mercilessly punching his gut and face. With each punch, Oculos screamed and grunted in great pain.

Just when the beaten child felt like he was going ot pass out from the abuse, the older group released him and stepped back to admire their handiwork. They laughed as he slumped on the bench and panted heavily. Each of them then spat on his face before they walked away, laughing as they did so.

When he was alone, Oculos very slowly curled up into a ball on the bench and started sobbing. No one paid attention to the beating that just occurred and left the child to cry to himself. After what felt like an eternity passed and the sun was beginning it's descent towards the horizon, Oculos felt the strength to stand up again, but he was very weak. He whimpered quietly and sniffed as he limped out of the playground and towards home. He just hoped that no one else would hurt him on the way.

...

Oculos had finally reached his family's home without any further incident after the abuse he suffered from the children back at the playground. As he stepped in front of the door to his house, the five year old dragon wiped away any tears left in his eyes, and recited his story to himself again to tell his parents.

_'I climbed a tree, fell off, my wings got hurt so I couldn't fly and bruises are from hitting the branches on the way down.' _The Dragonling thought. He nodded softly. _'That should be good enough…they won't worry too much…'_

The young dragonling did not want to worry his parents, the only two people in his life that made him happy. Last thing he wanted was seeing his loving mother in tears as she cupped his cheeks and seeing his father enraged at the actions of the bullies who hurt his son. Even though Oculos always felt tempted to fight back, and he _really_ desired nothing more but to beat the bullies, he chose to restrain himself…since rumors would spread even more about him and, to an extent, his parents.

Finally, gathering the courage, Oculos slowly pushed the front door open, limped into his family's house.

Upon entering the house, he heard his mother and father speaking frantically with each other.

"He's never home this late…" Oculos' mother said, her voice filled with dread. "What if criminals found him…what if…?"

The sound of the door swinging shut caught the attention of the adult dragons. Oculos looked up to see his mother and father running out of the kitchen and into the living room. Oculos' mother bent down and wrapped her wings around her five year old son. Oculos felt his mother's lips touch his cheek, kissing him lovingly.

"Oh Oculos sweetie…" She said relieved, removing her wings from her son, looking at him as she stroked his cheek with her left paw. "You had me and your father so worried, you were gone for…"

Oculos' mother stopped, the glowing crystal lights on the walls giving his mother a chance to see her son's face…she saw the bruises and the small cuts across her son's face. Oculos saw his mother's eyes begin to water; the wind dragoness placed one paw over her lips and gasped.

"Sweetie…you're hurt…"

After swallowing softly, Oculos said. "I climbed up a tree and fell off, my wings got hurt so I couldn't fly and bruises are from hitting the branches on the way down."

Looking into his mother's eyes, and glancing at his father, who to looked worried at his son, Oculos noticed both of his parents looked as if they doubted his explanation…and in truth, Oculos knew he sounded like he had recited his tall tail right off of a script.

Oculos looked down at the carpet floor of the living room.

"Son…" His father said, stepping towards him, kneeling and placing a paw over the dragonling's shoulder. "What happened?"

Oculos said nothing, he felt his lower lip quiver…how much he wanted to tell his parents what happened, but he refused.

"I'm tired…" Oculos whispered, barely audible, but enough for his concerned parents to hear.

With that, the dragonling walked passed his parents, and up the stairs to his room. But as he entered his room, he could hear the sound of his loving mother sob into her mate's shoulder. As Oculos plopped onto his bed, and covered himself with his favorite blanket, buried his head into his pillow and squeezed his eyes shut, the young grey dragonling began to cry into the pillow…finally releasing all of the pent up sadness he had stored in that day.

He had no idea if sleep ever came to him or not, but all he knew was that if he did fall asleep, it was a dreamless sleep. But the next thing the dragonling remembered after crying was the sound of a knock on the door of his family's house. After opening his eyes and sitting up on his bed, Oculos darted for the window of his room. Looking out the window, looking down at the door that lead into the house a few feet down, he saw a black robed dragoness figure standing in front of the door, the crystal lights just barely provided any visibility for the figure, which seemed to mix with the darkness of the night.

His father opened the door. Oculos leaned closer to his window, hoping to hear the conversation but to no avail. A minute later, Oculos' father let the hooded figure in.

Oculos quickly made his way to the door of his bedroom, and silently opened it, when it was open all of the way, the dragonling quietly made his way to the stairwell that lead to the lower floor. While remaining on the second floor, Oculos quietly remained out of sight on the top of the stairs, and listened to the conversation between his parents and the mysterious dragoness.

"I told you! No!" Oculos' mother almost yelled at the Dragoness.

"Now now Cynthia…you know I mean no harm to your young son." The dragoness replied, in a voice as cold as winter, using the first name of Oculos' mother. To any person, the voice would send shivers down their spine…but to Oculos…he found it soothing. He didn't know why though. "It is not like I am forcing you to give him to me…it would be entirely your son's choice."

"I don't care." Cynthia said, coldly. "I know all about you…and your army. I won't let you turn him into a…killer!"

"A killer? No…I do not desire that of him. If he wants to be a killer, that is fine, I will give him the tools. But if he desires to live a life free of hardship, I will grant him that." The dragoness replied. "Ultimately, at least he will have a better life than what he has now. Where all of the little children his age spit at him, throw rocks at him and beat the poor dear senseless until he can't even feel the blows.

"And yet you both know, particularly you, Cynthia, that it won't be long now until his change is complete. Cynthia, you know particularly well why some members of your family become The Empire's prophets…Young Oculos is no exception."

"The Empire will come and help him…once Oculos has become my uncle's successor, he will get the respect he deserves!" Cynthia combated. "But you…you'll turn my baby boy into a killer!"

The other dragoness sighed, albeit sadly.

"Very well, I see I cannot persuade you…I will leave then." The dragoness said.

"We would greatly like that," Oculoss father growled, protectiveness was present in the growl. "If you ever come back, and you try and take our son away, you will regret it!"

The unknown dragoness could be heard walking to the door, opening it, causing a loud creaking noise. But the door stopped half way…and what the dragoness said next frightened Oculos.

"It won't be long now…when the change is complete; you will not know who his victims will be and neither will he…who knows…it maybe the two of you."

The door slammed shut. As soon as the door shut, Oculos darted for his room, his heart beating rapidly deep within his chest as he rushed to his room, and silently shut the door. The grey dragon jumped onto his bed, covering himself with his blanket covers and shut his unnatural yellow and red eyes…silently preying to The Goddess that the Dragoness was lying…

_"I'm normal…I'm normal…I'm normal...I'm normal!" _

Oculos whispered continuously those words, almost like a mantra until sleep finally overtook him.

When Oculos finally came to…it was midnight. The sound of his father leaving the house to go to his night job was what woke Oculos up.

The grey dragonling remained in bed silently awake, forgetting the conversation he heard last night…but the words "I'm normal" filled his mind. He whispered those words continuously, remembering the abuse he suffered from the children at the park that day.

The sound of his bedroom door opening caused him to stop whispering to himself, he heard his mother's soft footsteps approach his bed. He kept his eyes shut, pretending to be asleep…but his mother knew him better than he knew himself.

Oculos felt his mother's strong, yet gentle, warm wings pick him up and hug him towards her chest in a gentle warm embrace that always soothed Oculos no matter how hard his day was.

Cynthia walked out of her son's room, and into her and her husband's room, slowly climbing into their bed with her son still wrapped in her wings, and laid down on the bed. She gently stroked the back of Oculos' head lovingly and kissed his forehead.

Oculos finally felt the tears overwhelm him and began to cry, burying his head into his mother's chest and sobbed into it.

"Shhhhhh…" Cynthia said softly to her crying son. "Mommy's here sweetie…mommy's here…"

Oculos continued to cry, feeling safe in his mother's embrace.

Then, in a broken whisper, Oculos cried.

"I just want to be normal…" Oculos sobbed. "I just want to be normal…"

Tears rolled down Cynthia's cheeks as she listened to her son's sobs…and continued to comfort him until he fell asleep…


End file.
